Electric water heater



May 15, 1928. A. J. GIBBONS.

ELECTRIC WATER HEATER Eiled Jime s, 192e v W EYE m EM Patented May 15, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICES.

ARTHUR J. GIBBONS, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

ELECTRIC WATER HEATER.

Application led .Tune 5,

My invention consists in certain improvements in the construction and arrangement of parts of electric water heaters, whereby a heater of such character is provided which notI only is comparatively inexpensive and simple in structure, but which is proof against water leakage in operation and thus proof against any short-circuiting of the heating current caused by such leakage all as will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which are made a part hereof and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts,

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a water heating unit on the dotted line 1 1 in Figure 2,

Figure 2, a similar section on the dotted line 2-2 in Figure 1, and

Figure 3, a diagrammatic view showing the arrangement of the water circulating coils more clearly.v

In said `drawings the portion marked indicates the base, 11 heating units and 12 the water supply pipe.

The base 10 is a suitable casting or stamping adapted to support and carry the parts. The heating units 11 are supported from a cap of insulating material in the top of casing 35 and each consists of a nonfusible core surrounded by heating generating electric wires of any appropriate character such as, for example, chromium nickel, which has been found desirable for the purpose. There are preferably two of such heating units (but any desired number may be employed) mounted side by side a short distance apart and connected at their top to said cap 20, The electrical winding 21 passes from one core to the other through a slot 22 in said cap. Electric current conducting wires 14 and 15 connect with binding posts 16 and 17, which in the accompanying drawing are shown on top of said cap 20, but which may be located at any convenient point but preferably at some point on the side or bottom where the binding posts 16 and 17 and terminals of winding 21 will be subjected to the least heat and to which the terminals of the windings 21 are respectively connected as shown. A cover 18 is secured by a screw 19 over an opening in the base 10 provided for access to the interior, lfor any requirement, as will be readily understood.

The water supply pipe 12 leads 'from any' 1926, Serial N0. 113,999.

source of supply, being preferably provided with a cup shaped socket 25 of well known constructionl adapted to be slipped over the end of any household water spigot. The device is supported on a bracket 26 preferably attached to the water spigot or some other convenient place adjacent to lwhere the hot water will be needed for use. This arrangement of bracket 26 may serve a double purpose of support for the water heater and ground connection for the electric current. The fluid conducting coils are constructed approximately as follows: the discharge spout is suitably connected to the discharge end of the inner coils tube 29 near either the top or bottom, depending upon the direction of winding, said tube is then coiled around one of the heating units, crosses over and is coiled around the nent heating unit and so on through the series. The inner surface of each coil being electrically insulated, by distance or otherwise, from the said heating unit-s. After completing the windings of the inner coils the tube is carried out and a larger outer or preheating'coil 27 is wound over and to enclose all the inner coils and heating units said preheating coil being insulated from the outer case by a layer of asbestos or other suitable insulating material 2S. The said preheating coil preferably terminating with a coil of tube on top of and covering the top of all the inner coils and heating` units, the end of said tube extending through the outer shell to connect with tube 12, the source of water supply.

This water coil, therefore. comprises three or more coils, one surrounding each of the heating units. in close relation thereto, and an outside coil surrounding all of said heat ing units and inner coils, the outside coil serving as a pre-heater for the water before it enters the inner coils and as an insulation between said inner coils and the casing of the device.

As will be noticed by an inspection, the discharge spout 30 has a restricted outlet which is for the purpose of retaining a portion of the volume of fluid in the coils at all times.

In operation, the current being turned on and supplied through the wires 14: and l5 it will generate heat in the heating units and the water being'turned on and passing 'through the coils will first be heated to a moderate degree in the outsi l 1 foil and then 'will paas 'through the coil oun'ding one ot the heating units and trom that to the other coils surrounding the other heating units so that by the time it reaches the discharge spout ithas been heated to a temperature that may be substantially predetermined by the current supplied Vto the heating units and the volume of Water flowing through the coils around said heating units. `By this means a very ready and convenient Water heater is provided and one adapted tor use Without any extensive tittings and one that may conveniently bev applied Wherever needed Without material e1;- pense, and one in which the leakage ofivater Within the device is effectively prevented.

lnterposedin Wire 14 and binding post 16 is av therngial fuse 33 provided to break the electric circuit at a predetermined temperature asi when ther current is inadvertently lett on after the' Water is turned 0E, thus guarding against accidental injury to the device.

lt Will be obvious to those skilled in the arti that various changes may be made in my device Without departingr 'lron'l the spirit of my invention, and I', therefore, do not liinit myself Jtti-What is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims. y

Having thus fullyv described my said invention, what l claim as new' and desire to secure by' Letters Patent, is: y

l'. A' Water' heater comprising a plurality of heating units7 av pipe Wound individually about each ot the heating units in succession and then about all of the heating units, and

'I urne ot thecoils Within the same at all times,

substantially as set forth.

3. A Water heater comprising a pair of electric heating units, tubing coiled in one direction snugly around one heating unit and vin the opposite direction around the other heat-ing unit and also being coiled around both o'l' said heating units and said coils, substantially as set forthil. An electric ivater heater comprising a casing, a plurality of heating elements Within said casing, a Water circulating coi-l iitting snugly about each ot said heating .elements, a larger circulating coil iitting snug- Y ly about thetirst-mentioned coils, said coils bein(r formed of a continuous section ot 9i e e l hai/*lng one end formingan inlet and the opposite end forming an outlet trom the heater, substantially as setl forth.

In ivitnesswvhereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Indianapolis, Indiana thist 11th day of May, A. 'D nineteen hundred and twenty-six.

Ani-Hna .i cannons.

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